12/02/2012-The 5th Quarter in New York Sports

Check out my show from Sunday night on AM1240-WGBB.  On “The 5th Quarter in New York Sports” we discussed the Jets win over the Cardinals and who will start next week at quarterback.  Legendary sports broadcaster Ed Ingles joined us to give his take on the Jets and talk to us about his broadcasting career.  We debated on whether Mark Sancez or Greg McElroy should start next week, whether the Mets should sign or trade R.A. Dickey, and whether David Stern’s decision to fine the Spurs was right.  We gave our “5th Quarter Standouts” in the NFL.  We talked about the wild week in the NFL as well as previewing the Giants-Redskins matchup.  We also talked Knicks and Nets and their success so far this season.

12/02/2012 The 5th Quarter in New York Sports

Rivalry Born in Brooklyn

November 26, 2012 was the beginning of something special in New York sports.

The Nets and Knicks faced each other Monday night for the first time in Brooklyn.  It felt like the story was scripted.  It was a memorable night in the illustrious history of New York Sports.  The Brooklyn Nets defeated the New York Knicks in overtime, 96-89.

You couldn't ask for a much better game in an unbelievable atmosphere at the new Barclays Center. The sellout crowd of 17,732 Knicks and Nets fans made a November regular season game feel like a May playoff matchup.  It was only fitting that both teams would exchange leads back and forth in a close game throughout.  The Nets would pull out the win in the start of what could be an incredible rivalry for New York.

Deron Williams and Brook Lopez led the Nets to the big victory.  Williams recorded a double double scoring 16 points to go along with 14 assists.  Lopez also posted a double double leading the Nets with 22 points and 11 rebounds.  Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks with 35 points and 13 rebounds.  Anthony struggled down the stretch as Gerald Wallace played with aggressively on defense.  38-year-old Jerry Stackhouse shocked the Knicks off the Knicks and everyone else in the building with his four three pointers and 14 points, including a big three pointer in overtime that gave the Nets the lead for good.

The energy in the building felt as if the two teams were facing off at Madison Square Garden.  The chants of "Brook-lyn" could be heard from the first quarter until the final buzzer.  The borough that has been starved of professional sports since their Dodgers left 55 years ago finally has a team to call their own again.

The win for the Nets also ties them with their Manhattan "rival" for first place in the Atlantic Division at 9-4.  It's the latest in the season the Nets have been in first place since 2007 and the latest both teams have been tied for first since 1997.  Brooklyn has brought a new start for a team that was essentially irrelevant in New Jersey without a true identity.  Monday night saw Nets fans outnumber and out chant Knicks fans.  That was something that was never seen in New Jersey.  The Nets definitely made a statement for Brooklyn and for all of New York Monday.  It's just game one though and both teams hold the same record.

Manhattan's team and Brooklyn's team will face off again at the Barclays Center in just two weeks on December 11th.  Then the teams will face off for the first time this season at MSG just a week later on December 19th.  By Christmas time, New York bragging rights will be in the hands of one of these teams.  Monday was the start for the Nets making a name for themselves as legit competition for the Knicks.

The Nets weren't the only winners Monday...all of New York basketball fans were.  Get ready for basketball's version of the Subway Series in New York City.

11/25/2012-The 5th Quarter in New York Sports

Listen in to my show from Sunday night.  On the show, we talked all about the hot topics in NY sports.  We started with Nets talk followed by Knicks talk and previewed the big matchup in Brooklyn between the two newest rivals.  Knicks beat writer for Newsday, Al Iannazzone, joined us at the 15 minute mark to talk Knicks and which team in New York he believes is better.  The second half of the show, I labeled the Jets as dead this season with no chance to make the playoffs.  We talked about the Giants as well as the rest of the big week 12 NFL games and headlines.  Listen in to myself and Ty Hardamon.

11/25/2012 The 5th Quarter in New York Sports

6-0 Knicks Winning With Defense

The Knicks proved Thursday night that their undefeated start is no fluke.  Coach Mike Woodson's team topped the 7-1 Spurs in their most impressive win of the young season so far.  We saw the resiliency in this team after coming back from a 12-point deficit with seven minutes remaining in the 4th quarter.  Five Knicks scored in double figures as the Knicks improve to 6-0 on the season. 

The Knicks have been getting contributions from everyone so far.  Carmelo Anthony only scored nine points last night and the Knicks still pulled off the win against what was the best team in the NBA.  J.R. Smith is having a career year early on scoring 18 points a game  Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd have been absolutely tremendous for this team and they showed it last night.  Felton led New York with 25 points last night.  Kidd scored 14 including a couple of big three pointers in the 4th quarter to propel the Knicks to the big comeback win.  So far, it looks like the combo of Felton and Kidd might be the better option than if they chose to retain Jeremy Lin.  The Knicks offense seems to have better chemistry without Lin at the point.  They are moving the ball around and getting everyone involved, which we didn't see as much last season.  The offense that revolved around Anthony now has been able to find other guys to contribute and score when their star has an off night like last night.  

The biggest reason for this team's early success has been their defense.  Coach Woodson has revitalized this team on the defensive end.  The Knicks are the second best defensive team in the NBA right now giving up just under 90 points a game.  Woodson's team is coming up with defensive stops in the 4th quarter when they need it most.  The defense has been the biggest reason for their unbeaten season.  

It's been fun to watch so far.  When "Ra-sheed Wallace" chants begin at MSG early in the 4th quarter, things have to be going right.  Sheed has actually played a key role off the bench for this team through the first six games contributing six points a game.  This team has beaten three playoff teams so far in the Heat, Mavericks, and Spurs.  The road only gets tougher tonight when they are in Memphis taking on the 6-1 in Grizzlies.  

2012-2013 Knicks Season Preview

The Knicks open their 2012-2013 season Friday night with high expectations.  After losing to the same Miami Heat team in May that they will play tonight, the Knicks hope to improve on their 36-30 season and 7th seed in the Eastern Conference.

Point Guards

The Knicks major loss this offseason came when they let Jeremy Lin sign with the Houston Rockets.  James Dolan chose not to match the offer the Rockets gave for the breakout point guard last season.  Lin was the major reason for the 8-15 Knicks turning their season around last year.
Raymond Felton will now lead New York's backcourt.  Felton returns to the Knicks after playing 54 games here in 2010-2011 in Amare Stoudemire's first season.  Felton looks to have the success he had early on here after having a disappointing season last year with the Portland Trail Blazers.

New York also brought in 40-year-old point guard and future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd to come off the bench.  Kidd is a nice addition providing some depth and a guy who can lead this team.  Kidd has been there before and will be able to mentor guys like Felton.
The Knicks also brought in 35-year-old rookie from Spain, Pablo Prigioni, to be another effective point guard off the bench.  

Shooting Guards

At shooting guard, the Knicks will mix and match a couple of guys until Iman Shumpert returns from his torn ACL.  New York brought in Ronnie Brewer, who becomes the opening night starter.  Brewer is known more for his defense, something the Knicks definitely need out of the backcourt.
J.R. Smith returns after being a key contributor in the second half of the season for New York last season.  Smith should come off the bench as a 6th man and will see plenty of playing time.  When he's on, he can score at will.  They're going to need his scoring out of the backcourt.  Smith has the ability to score 15 points a game off the bench.  The Knicks are going to need that scoring and energy from him that we saw last season.
The Knicks also added high flying guard/forward James White, who played overseas last season.  The 30-year-old will provide a spark off the bench as he should be the recipient of some big-time dunks.

Small Forwards 

At small forward, the Knicks are of course led by their star Carmelo Anthony.  After having an incredible Olympics run and winning the gold medal, Melo is ready to have a huge season.  With Stoudemire being out the first 6-8 weeks of the season, Anthony becomes the Knicks go to guy.  Look for him to play the power forward position a lot until Stat returns to action.  Anthony should thrive in that role with not many power forwards being able to stop the versatile scoring forward.
The Knicks also bring back three-point specialist Steve Novak this season.  Novak provided a huge spark off the bench last season making a plethora of big-time three point shots.  With Anthony playing at the four, expect Novak to get some big minutes off the bench at the three.
Expect to hear Chris Copeland's name a lot this season.  Copeland played overseas last season and had a huge preseason surprising a lot of people.  Copeland can score at will at times and will shock a lot of people coming off the bench this season.  If the Knicks continue having injury problems, look for the 6'8" 28-year-old to fill in.

Power Forwards 

The Knicks will go the first 6-8 weeks of the season without their starting forward, Amare Stoudemire. Stoudemire went down in preseason with a knee injury and will not return until late December.  Coach Mike Woodson is going to use a lot of different lineups with Stoudemire out.  The Knicks acquired veteran Kurt Thomas in the trade with Raymond Felton.  Thomas is very familiar with New York after playing here for seven years from 1998-2005.  Thomas should see some minutes and is a nice veteran to have to help some of the younger guys.
The Knicks also signed 38-year-old Rasheed Wallace to come off the bench.  Wallace came out of retirement to join a Knicks team that went with some veteran bench presence this season.  Wallace will get minutes with Stoudemire out along with Thomas at power forward.

Centers

Tyson Chandler returns as the Knicks starting center this season.  Chandler had a solid first season in New York averaging 11.3 PPG and 9.9 RPG.  Chandler is a double-double machine at center and will be pivotal in the paint, especially in the first two months of the season without Stoudemire.  His defensive presence down low will be essential for the Knicks success this season.
The Knicks also bring back another one of their former players in Marcus Camby.  Camby will back up Chandler and get some major minutes this season.  The key for the 38-year-old is staying healthy.  Camby has been injury prone throughout his career dating back to when he played for the Knicks from 1998-2002.  Camby's defense and ability to block shots will be big for this team over the course of the season.

Prediction

The key for the Knicks this season is staying healthy.  Stoudemire is already out and injuries have been a major issue for this team.  If Stat and Melo can gel together, this team could be a contender in the East.  Melo is expected to have possibly the best season of his career.  The key is him working well with his teammates.  Coach Woodson did a tremendous job last season filling in and getting this team to the playoffs.  Woodson hasn't been able to get the Hawks or the Knicks over that first round playoff hump.  With the talent in the Eastern Conference this season, it will be tough for him to do it this year.  If the Knicks stay healthy over this 82-game season they will return to the playoffs.

Expect a 46-36 season and the 5th seed in the East for the Knickerbockers this season.

10/21/2012-The 5th Quarter in New York Sports

Listen to the podcast of my show "The 5th Quarter in New York Sports" on AM1240-WGBB.  We discussed the Jets heartbreaking loss, the Giants wild win at home, and the rest of the NFL week 7 games. In the second half of the show, we previewed the Knicks season with Knicks beat writer for the NY Post, Marc Sherman.  We talked about where the Knicks and Nets will finish in the East as well as the rest of the NBA playoff predictions.

10/21/2012 The 5th Quarter in New York Sports

Carmelo Anthony's ProCamp

Here are some photos from Carmelo Anthony's ProCamp at St. John's University for boys and girls ages 7 to 18.  You can also check out my feature story on it here where Melo answers questions about his gold medal, Amare's new moves, Jeremy Lin, the Brooklyn Nets, and the upcoming season.

http://sportsradiony.com/articles/melo-feeling-golden-for-2012-2013-season/

 Melo answering questions from the media. Yes that is my hairy arm right there.

 Answering questions about Amare, the Olympics, and the upcoming season.

ProCamps at St. John's University.

Anthony endorsing his new drink "PowerCoco."

Jeremy Lin have anything to be "scared" of?

Melo talking with his campers at Carnaseca Arena.

Campers putting their skills to work at the Taffner Field House. 360-plus boys and girls were a part of Camp Melo.

Knicks Are Lin-Sane

Last night the Knicks might have made a move (or lack of move) that they will regret in the coming years.  They chose to not match the Rockets offer sheet for Jeremy Lin.  Lin was offered a 3 year, $25 million deal by the Rockets.  At first the organization said they would match the offer.  Lin reconstructed a deal with the Rockets that would pay him $5 million in the first two seasons and nearly $15 million in the third season of the contract.  This hurt the Knicks because in the third year it would cost them in luxury taxes and bring the total contract to about $43 million in 2014-15.

The breakout guard brought magic to Madison Square Garden and an energy that the Knicks have been missing for over a decade.  Lin was days away from being cut from the team because they did not have room for him.  Everything would change on Saturday night on February 4th against the Nets.  Lin would be inserted in the lineup and score a career high 25 points.  It would be a start to a 7 game win streak that turned the Knicks season around.  Lin would be the talk of the NBA for weeks to come.  "Linsanity" would take over New York as jerseys sold more than any other player, endorsement deals were coming in, and he could finally move off of his brother's couch.  The Knicks were 8-15 before Lin came on the scene out of nowhere. Nobody could have predicted the former Harvard guard to break out and turn the Knicks season around.  Lin was dropped by the Warriors and Rockets where he did not get much playing time.

The Knicks made a sign and trade with the Blazers to acquire Raymond Felton, which essentially marked the end of the brief, remarkable Jeremy Lin era in New York.  The Knicks chose to go with the combination of Raymond Felton and 39 year old Jason Kidd to lead them at the point guard position.  It seems as if James Dolan let his emotions get the best of him.  Dolan was frustrated with Lin for working out the new contract with the Rockets that made it tough for the Knicks to match. Dolan also did not like the fact that Lin did not play at 85% in the playoffs following knee surgery.

Dolan and the Knicks front office let their personal emotions have an effect on business.  The Knicks will now be led by Felton, who averaged around 11 points and 6 assists a game last season, and an older Jason Kidd who just was arrested for a DWI.  The Knicks decided to go with the two older, more experienced point guards as they try to improve on their 36-30 season and first round exit in the playoffs last season.  The Knicks get nothing in return for losing Lin and cannot use the money they could have used on Lin elsewhere.  Jeremy Lin will be missed by many Knicks fans, who embraced the young guard when he broke on the scene in February.  Over 10,000 fans signed a petition for him to stay, but to no avail.  Lin will be successful in Houston where he will not have the spotlight on him every second.  Lin  said he wanted to stay with the Knicks, but it did not work out.  The Knicks will miss the young and rising guard and the organization will realize the mistake they made by letting him go.

Knicks Season Comes To End

The banged up Knicks roster could not pull off a miracle in Miami.  The Heat ended the Knicks season Wednesday night defeating the Knicks with ease, winning the series four games to one.

New York knew it would be tough to make it a series once Iman Shumpert went down with a torn ACL.  As it if that was not enough, Amare Stoudemire decided to go at war with a fire extinguisher and cut up his hand.  Stoudemire would have to miss game three because of the injury.  If those two blows were not enough, Baron Davis would then go down in game four tearing his ACL as well.  The Knicks were down three point guards for game five.  Jeremy Lin could not pull a Willis Reed as his knee still was not 100 percent.  The Heat were just too talented for a Knicks team that was hobbled and in disarray.

The Knicks did not show much fight in game five as they could not get the game close in the second half. They trailed by double digits the entire second half and could not put any form of run on.  The Heat had an answer to every move the Knicks tried to make.  The Knickerbockers got the one team in the Eastern Conference that they did not want to play.  They clearly would have matched up better playing the Bulls, who trail the eight seeded Sixers three games to two.  Miami is by far the best team in the East right now.  With Derrick Rose going down with a torn ACL, the Heat have instantly become the favorite out of the East.

Mike Woodson's squad has a very good team and one that can definitely contend once again next year.  This team needs some backcourt help.  Steve Nash will definitely be a guy that the Knicks will have on their radar.  Jeremy Lin was huge for New York, but the league started to catch up with him a bit before he got hurt.  The Knicks will most likely bring back Lin-sanity as he instantly became a fan favorite.  The team still needs a lot of backcourt help as Iman Shumpert will not be back until around Christmas time and Baron Davis will miss almost all of next season.  Landry Fields will also become a free agent and could have played his last game as a Knick.  New York needs to bring in a guy who can score out of the backcourt helping out Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.  Besides another point guard along with Lin, and a shooting guard, the Knicks need another big man to come off the bench.  Jared Jeffries is not the answer.  Jeffries played well off the bench this year, but New York needs another big man who is not a liability offensively.

Coach Woodson definitely deserves to return next year.  Woodson had this team playing very good basketball finishing 18-6 to end the season.  Unless Phil Jackson decides to come out of retirement, Mike Woodson should coach this team next season.

With a bit of backcourt help and some depth added to the bench, the Knicks could definitely come in next season after a full summer of training camp and compete with the Bulls and Heat at the top of the Eastern Conference.

Knicks Heat Round One Playoff Preview

The 66 game regular season has come to an end.  The playoffs have finally arrived.  The Knicks are locked on to the 7th seed and will play the 2nd seeded Miami Heat in the first round.  Game one will be Saturday afternoon at 3:30 in Miami.  The Heat finished the season with a 46-20 record while the Knicks finished with a 36-30 record.  Miami dominated New York in the regular season winning all three games against them by an average of ten points.

The Heat are not the best matchup for the Knicks.  That is without a doubt, but the Carmelo Anthony led Knicks could make a series of this.  The Knicks have been playing good basketball finishing the season very hot.  With the exception of Jeremy Lin, who will most likely miss the entire first round, the Knicks are coming into the playoffs fairly healthy.  Amare Stoudemire is back and looked strong in the last couple of games of the season.  Tyson Chandler will be ready to go as he got to rest himself for a couple of games.

The key to this series will be the play of Amare Stoudemire.  Stoudemire needs to help Melo in the scoring department and needs to outplay Chris Bosh.  As soon as Amare went down in last years playoff with injury the series was a wrap.  The Knicks need to get the continued incredible play of Anthony as well as a strong series from Amare if they want any chance to make this a series.  Another huge factor in this series will be the defense of Iman Shumpert on Dwyane Wade.  We have seen the aggressive defense from the rookie Shumpert all season that has had many guards frustrated.  If Shumpert can contain Wade throughout the series and force LeBron James to carry this team, the Knicks will make this a long series.

The problem is that the Heat just have too much athleticism and talent for the Knicks.  LeBron James will most likely win an NBA MVP this season, Dwyane Wade has done it before in the playoffs and the Heat are looking to start the dynasty that they hoped for when signing the "big three" last season.

The Knicks will keep this a good series because of their improved depth and the strong shooters they have off the bench such as Steve Novak and J.R. Smith.  New York is going to have to get improved play from their backcourt and some big buckets by guys other than Stat and Melo.  The Knicks hope to revive Madison Square Garden and pull off the upset this series like they did against Miami 12 years ago.  Sunday afternoon the rivalry continues....

My Prediction: Heat in 6

Knicks Headed Back to Playoffs

With the Bucks loss Thursday night to the Pacers, the Knicks have officially clinched a playoff spot.  The Knicks will head back to the playoffs for their second straight year.  The Knicks have not made back to back playoff appearances since the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons.  From 1987-2001 the Knicks made the playoffs every season.  From 2001-2010 they made it just once, where they were swept by the Nets in 2004.

Clearly, it has been a long time since the Knicks have put together back to back playoff seasons.  Last year's playoffs showed that the Knicks needed some more pieces as they were swept away by the Celtics in the first round.  This year could be a huge improvement for the Knickerbockers as the team has some more depth and shooting, something they needed desperately last season.  Once Amare Stoudemire went down with injury in the playoffs, Carmelo Anthony had the ball every possession taking more shots than he should.

The Knicks will get Stoudemire back tonight against the Cavaliers and will have him ready for the playoffs this year.  The team has pieces this year that it lacked last season coming off the bench.  Steve Novak has been monumental in the Knicks success lately as he continuously knocks down clutch three pointer after clutch three pointer.  J.R. Smith has started to come alive of late and everyone knows when his game is on, he will make a lot of shots.  Rookie Iman Shumpert has done a tremendous job bringing energy and a defensive presence that will be key come playoff time.  Mike Bibby has also played a role of late starting in the absence of Baron Davis and playing well.

The Knicks clearly have much more depth and a bench presence than they had last season.  Melo is also playing the best basketball we have seen him play as a Knick and maybe his career.  The Knicks are really hoping that they fall into the hands of the Bulls and stay away from the Heat in the first round.  We have seen how competitive the Knicks have played with the Bulls and how remarkable of a series it could be.  It is guaranteed the Knicks will play one of the two in the first round.  We will find out in a week who it will be.  The Knicks are the one team that nobody at the top of the conference wants to play.  I can guarantee that this year's playoffs will be a much better one for the Knicks as the Garden will be rocking like it did back in 2000.

Melo Haters Silenced

Anyone who had anything bad to say about Carmelo Anthony was quickly silenced Sunday afternoon.

Anthony put on an unbelievable performance at Madison Square Garden in a playoff atmosphere against the Bulls, who have the best record in the Eastern Conference and the most wins in the NBA.  The Knicks beat the Bulls, 100-99 in overtime. Melo scored an astounding 43 points.  He showed integrity and determination down the stretch making clutch basket after clutch basket.  With 11 seconds left, Melo drained a long three pointer with the long arm of Taj Gibson right in his face.  The Garden erupted into a thunderous roar.  The Knicks seemed to be out of the game, but thanks to four missed free throws by Luol Deng and Derrick Rose, the Knicks stayed alive.  Melo's clutch three helped send the Knicks to overtime where he was not done yet.

Melo would make a driving layup with just over a minute to go in overtime to cut the Bulls lead to two.  With eight seconds left, Melo would make the Garden shake once again.  He drained another long three pointer with Deng's hand in his face to give the Knicks a 100-99 lead.  The Knicks would get a stop on defense and come out with the victory.

Anthony showed all his haters that he knows that it is his time.  The Knicks are playing without Jeremy Lin for the rest of the season and possibly without star Amare Stoudemire for the year.  Sunday was up there as one of the most magical performances ever seen at MSG.  The Knicks needed that game as the Bucks are creeping up behind them for the eight seed in the East.  It was a monumental win in a game that could be a playoff preview of the first round.  Anyone who had doubts about Melo has hopped on the bandwagon now and is on for the ride.

The Knicks clearly are the team that the Bulls and Heat do not want to play in May.  The Knicks are tied with the Sixers for the seven seed at the moment with the Bucks sitting just a game behind.  New York has ten games remaining and will play the Bulls once again on Tuesday night in Chicago.

D'Antoni Did The Right Thing

Mike D'Antoni knew his time was up in New York.  The Knicks had lost 6 games in a row.  They were falling out of the playoff standings, and the player-coach relationship was not there.  Carmelo Anthony was opening his mouth,  and D'Antoni was firing back.  On Wednesday, D'Antoni called it quits.

The Knicks have underachieved for the most part of the 2011-2012 season.  They started the season 8-15 before Jeremy Lin came in and took over as point guard.  They would then win their next seven games in a row during Lin-sanity.  The Knicks would then start to struggled once Carmelo Anthony returned from injury.  The style of play had changed completely and the team had no chemistry.  D'Antoni clearly had trouble working with the new offense and it showed in their play.

Now, assistant coach Mike Woodson takes over for the rest of the season and Woodson know what he has to do with this team.  It all starts with Stat and Melo.  Amare Stoudemire has been nowhere near what he was last year and it is time for him to be more aggressive and look for his shot more.  Jeremy Lin can take less shots and the Knicks can move the ball more.  Woodson knows exactly what this team has to do to win games.  Woodson has been there and in the playoffs before.  He is a defensive-minded coach, something that the Knicks lacked with D'Antoni.

The Knicks needed a change and they needed it quick.  Mike Woodson is going to send this team in the right direction the rest of the way and help the Knicks get back to the playoffs.  We are going to see the Knicks playing hard-nosed basketball the rest of the season headed into the playoffs.  The talent is there for the Knicks to get to the playoffs and to make noise in the playoffs.  With 23 games remaining and the Knicks tied for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, there is still time for the Knicks to get back to the team we saw in February that had Madison Square Garden going Lin-sane and ticket prices off the charts.

Just Shut Up and Win

The Knicks have gone from a team that had all of the NBA talking for all the right reasons just two weeks ago.  They now are being talked about for all the wrong reasons.  New York is on a six game losing streak, Carmelo Anthony won't keep his mouth shut, and Mike D'Antoni has lost control of his team.  The Knicks chemistry is at an all time low as fingers are being pointed in all different directions.

Coach Mike D'Antoni has lost complete control of his team.  Carmelo Anthony has commented putting blame on the coach, while D'Antoni has done the same on Anthony.  Clearly, the relationship between the coach and his players is horrific right now.  The Knicks are not worried about winning and are more worried on blaming each other acting like children.  It's about time for them to just shut up and win ball games.  The Knicks are on the verge of missing the playoffs as they have fallen into a tie for the eighth seed in the east with the Bucks.  The Cavaliers are sitting right behind the Knicks just one game back.  If the Knicks cannot get a win in the next couple of games, D'Antoni's time in New York may be up before his contract expires at the end of the season. 

The Knicks clearly have the talent and a deep bench to get to the playoffs and do the damage.  This team needs to get their act together off the court and play the kind of basketball we saw in the month of February.  The team has struggled mightily since the return of Anthony following his injury.  Anthony cleared up the rumors of him wanting to be traded by saying he wants to remain a Knick.  Most Knicks fans at this point would have no problem trading Anthony, but there is nowhere he could go right now.  The Knicks gave up a ton to get him and he is not going anywhere. (at least not this season)  

The Knicks need to stop the talking and get back to their winning ways before it gets out of hand more than it has already.  The Knicks will face the Blazers at the Garden tonight and are in need of a huge win.  It's time that the Knicks win games, play team basketball, and stop pointing fingers at each other.  The Knicks have 24 games remaining, with 14 of those being against teams over .500.  

Baron Davis Thriving in New Role

For his entire career, Baron Davis has been more of a scorer and a bit of a selfish player.  He is used to taking a good amount of shots per game and throwing up threes from different area codes.  As a Knick, Davis has a new role, and so far since returning from injury, he has thrived at it.  Davis is now looked at as the guy to come in and distribute the rock when Jeremy Lin gets rest.  He knows that the Knicks have so many threats and he has been finding them all.  Davis does not come in and play with an ordinary group of bench players.  The Knicks have one of the best benches in the league.

Davis has guys like Steve Novak, J.R. Smith, and Iman Shumpert he can get the ball to off the bench who are all guys who can knock down shots.  As seen last night, Novak was draining threes from all over the place.  Novak made clutch three after clutch three in the fourth quarter helping put the game away in a 120-103 win against the Cavaliers.  Shumpert and Smith are guys who can also finish big close to the hoop.  They were the recipients of a couple of dazzling alley oops courtesy of Davis as well as Lin.

 The key to the Knicks success off the bench all starts with number 85.  Davis has changed his game up in a way that has made the Knicks extremely successful.  He knows he does not need to put up many shots for them to be successful.  He just needs to continue to be a catalyst and find the open guys because someone is going to knock down the shot or get a tremendous pass inside for an easy finish.  Davis was even finding Jared Jeffries for easy finishes last night.  Jeffries is more known for his defensive abilities.  Davis found him a couple of times last night for easy finishes making it look easy.  Lots of credit has got to go to Baron for the Knicks superb bench play over the month of February.

This Could Be the Knicks Year

Since Jeremy Lin's emergence on February 4th against the Nets, the Knicks have turned into an entirely different team.  They are playing with much more energy and playing team basketball.  Now, everything is starting to come into place.  The Knicks are getting healthy and are starting to get everyone back.  Sunday, the Knicks proved that.  J.R. Smith made his Knicks debut Sunday against the Mavericks scoring 15 points.

Tonight, against the Nets, the Knicks should get back Carmelo Anthony.  Also, Baron Davis will be in uniform ready to play.  The Knicks are getting everyone back just in time.  With these new additions, the Knicks are undoubtedly one of the deepest teams in the league.  They have Lin, Landry Fields, J.R. Smith, Baron Davis, and Iman Shumpert as their guards.  There are not many teams that are that deep in the backcourt.  They have Anthony, Stoudemire, discount double check Novak, and Bill Walker at forwards and Tyson Chandler and Jared Jeffries as centers.  They are still missing Josh Harrelson, who has been out with an injury.

The Knicks have all the weapons in place to make a deep playoff run this year with the way they are playing.  They hope to continue the Lin-credible team play with the return of Anthony tonight.  They also hope for some solid bench production from Baron Davis, who has been sidelined all season due to injury.

Yesterday afternoon at Madison Square Garden was a playoff atmosphere.  MSG has not had this much excitement and hype in too long.  Knicks tickets have skyrocketed from what used to be an easy $50 ticket on game day to $200 and above.  I think most Knicks fans will take the continued success over cheaper tickets.  It has been a LONG time since the Knickerbockers were as fun to watch as they are now.  Lin-sanity has truly created an atmosphere that has Knicks fans feeling nostalgic.

This roster is built to win.  They have had superb bench production from guys like Novak as seen yesterday making clutch three pointers in the fourth quarter that helped put the game away.  Jared Jeffries has come in and played hard-nosed basketball drawing charges, grabbing rebounds, and even scoring a little.  J.R. Smith is another shooter the Knicks have to come off the bench and drain a clutch three pointer.  Every night, the story continues.  After an 8-15 start, this team has turned into a completely different team.  This could just be the Knicks year to make that run for an NBA Championship.  The Lin-probable run continues tonight at the Garden.

The New Look Knicks

The Knicks have become an entirely different team than the team we saw just seven games ago when they were an abysmal 8-15.  They were a couple losses away from Mike D'Antoni being jobless, Jeremy Lin being cut, and Carmelo Anthony banging himself up even more.  The Knicks were being led by a banged up Anthony and a struggling Amare Stoudemire.  Two men were attempting to carry the team on their backs.  It just could not be done.  They needed a change.  That's when the Knickerbockers would make a Lin-probable return to winning basketball and an excitement in New York that we have not seen since the days of Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston, and Latrell Sprewell.

The Knicks are now at .500 at 15-15 and in the thick of the playoff race securing the eight seed in the Eastern Conference right now.  Lin has helped lead the Knicks putting up unbelievable numbers.  Lin has scored at least 20 points in six of the seven games and has had at least seven assists in every game.  Three of the games he has recorded a double double.  Lin dropped 38 points against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in front of a packed Madison Square Garden without Stoudemire and Anthony.  It has been a story that has gotten Lin several endorsement offers and the financial assets to move him off his brother's couch and into his own place.  Lin has thrived even with all the attention he has received.

When everyone thought the Lin-sanity would take a halt for a game against the Raptors in Toronto, Lin scored six points in the final minute including a game winning three pointer with less than a second to go.

This story has been one of the most inspiring stories and one that has Knicks fans believing in a championship this season.  Just today, the Knicks signed J.R. Smith hoping he can add some depth from the shooting guard position.  When Smith is on, he is an explosive scorer.  Him and Anthony played together in Denver as well.  The Knicks have a potential starting lineup of Jeremy Lin, J.R. Smith, Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, and Tyson Chandler.  That is arguably the best lineup in the NBA.

The question is whether Anthony will be able to co-exist with Lin and the rest of the team.  Melo will have to do a lot more passing and less shooting.  This Knicks team has thrived moving the ball and getting everyone involved.  They have gotten great bench play from Steve Novak as well as Jared Jeffries and Bill Walker.  The team has played superb team basketball since Anthony has been out.  The Knicks need Anthony to return, be healthy, and move the ball with this new look team.  If this team can co-exist and continue their unselfish play, we might just see a deep playoff run and MSG rocking come late May for the first time in over a decade.

Lin-Credible

One man has single handedly saved the job of head coach Mike D'Antoni.  Carmelo Anthony you say? Amare Stoudemire you say? Maybe Tyson Chandler? Nope. Jeremy Lin.

Since Jeremy Lin has taken over as the Knicks starting point guard the Knickerbockers are 5-0.  They have beaten the Nets, Jazz, Wizards, Lakers, and the Timberwolves.  All of New York has been going absolutely Lin-sane as Lin has been the biggest contributor for the Knicks since the Harvard graduate got a chance to get key minutes.  Lin's most dazzling performance came on the biggest stage.  Lin dropped 38 points on a Friday night at Madison Square Garden on ESPN against the almighty Lakers.  The spotlight does not get much bigger than that. (in the regular season at least)  The second year point guard put on a show against future hall of famer Kobe Bryant.  Lin, who did not play much for the Warriors and was cut by the Rockets in December is finally getting his chance to shine in New York.  In just five games he has Knicks fans on the edge of excitement for the first time this season.  Until Lin's surgence the Knicks were playing bad basketball.  They were 8-15 coming into last Saturday night against the Nets when the Knicks would make a Lin-probable comeback.  The Knicks now are the eight seed in the east taking a leap in the standings since their abysmal start.

The Knicks have played much improved team basketball with the absences of Stoudemire and Anthony.  Stoudemire will return to action Tuesday against the Raptors following his absence due to the loss of his brother.  The Lin story has truly been one that has millions of people going Lin-sane.  The Knicks are back to being the fun team to watch as Lin's thrilling play has had MSG ticket prices through the roof of late.  If the Knicks can continue to play good team basketball when Stoudemire returns and Anthony eventually returns, this team might just be a force to be reckoned with come playoff time in the eastern conference.

Merry Christmas NBA Fans

This Christmas is going to be an extra special one for basketball fans.  Fans get to not only wake up on Christmas day to family and presents, but will also get to watch NBA basketball for the first time since June.  Early Saturday morning, the NBA owners and players would come to a tentative agreement to end the 149-day lockout.  The league plans to open up training camps and free agency on December 9th and have the first games on December 25th.  It is planned to be a 66 game season, 16 games less than a regular 82 game season.

The specifics of the deal have not been confirmed yet.  The players accepted a deal somewhere between the range of 49-51% in favor of the owners.  The exact details of the deal should be known in the coming days.  Most importantly, basketball will be played and both sides wanted to end this lockout as soon as they could.  Commissioner David Stern said it would take around 30 days from when the deal was made to begin the season.  In just two weeks, the craziness that we all saw once the NFL lockout ended will be seen in the NBA.  Trades and free agency signings will be in a frenzy as lots of moves will be made.  It happened to be one of the most exciting weeks in sports when we saw all the moves made in July following the end of the NFL lockout.  Plan to seen all that madness come again in December.  Owners, players, and fans are all relieved to see the end almost near.  It has been months of negotiations and meetings that at times had many extremely frustrated and had fans in disarray.

In New York, fans could not be happier.  We get to see 66 games of Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire together on the same floor.  ”Stat and Melo” had Madison Square Garden packed every night for the three months they got to see of them.  There is no question that MSG is going to have the same excitement this season as they get 75% of a season to see them suit up together.  The Knicks have a bright future to look to, but are going to need more than just two stars to win.  Veteran point guard Chauncey Billups played a pivotal role in the Knicks success late last season as well.  This will most likely be Billups only full season with the Knicks as he is a free agent after he makes $14.2 million this season.  The Knicks are going to need a lot more depth and some more size if they want to achieve success this season.  They struggled mightily at the center position last season.  They lacked size and depth to help out Stoudemire in the paint.  The Knicks are going to need to make moves adding depth to this team.  Rookie Landry Fields had a very solid season for them, but was nonexistent in the playoffs and spent most of the time on the bench.  Big man Jared Jeffries is a liability on offense and cost the Knicks a playoff game in the first round against the Celtics.  Guard Roger Mason did not get much playing time throughout the season and when he did was very ineffective.  One bright spot the Knicks did see last season was the play of backup point guard Toney Douglas.  Douglas was very effective off the bench and has a very bright future ahead of him.  The Knicks need help but have the pieces to build a championship contender.  Of course, they will have to compete the “big three” in Miami as well as Derrick Rose and the Bulls and the division rival Boston Celtics.

Knicks fans and all NBA fans are looking forward to Christmas day.  Mark down December 25th on your calendars NBA fans, it is a rare day where you get to celebrate two holidays in one day.  The season tips off at noon at MSG as the Knicks play the Celtics.  The Mavericks will host the Heat in a rematch of the NBA finals.  FInally, the Lakers will host the Bulls in a classic matchup of two past rivals.